Truck



Feb. 16 1926.

H. o. scRAN'oN TRUCK VFiled Augut 22, 1924 2 Shelets-Sheet 2 FIG-;

FIL-1 5..

Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY O. SCRANTON, OF JEANERETTE, LOUISIANA.

TRUCK.

Application led August 22, 1924. Serial No. 733,584.

To all who/mJ t may concern .1 y

Be it known that I, HENRY O. ScRAN'ioN, a citizen ot the `United States, residing at Jeanerette, in the parish of Iberia and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and Vuseful Improvements V.in Trucks,-ot` which the following is a specification. Y

AThis invention relates toftrucks adapted to be coupledtotractors as trailers, and

more particularly to trucks specially adapted for use inharvesting sugar canes and coupled as trailers:` to harvesting machines which cut down and triinithe canes. Trucks of this kind have vto pass over ground which is rough,\sott `and moist, and they are constructed accordingly, and so that the load may be dumped at the rear end of the truck with facility. This invention consists in the novel construction and combination ot theparts hereinafter fully described and claimed `whereby these advantages are `obtained.

'In the'drawings, Figure 1 is a sideview of a truck'constructed according to this invention with the'body or box omitted. Fig.

' 2 is a'planview of the truck shown in Fig.

1,' with the platform or Hoor omitted. Fi-g. 3 isa frontend view of the truck showing the bodyorbox. Fig'. 4L is a detail iront view of" the front axle. Fig. 5 isa front view of the coupling bar.

The body or box 6 is formed of re1nov able sides Ywhich Aare secured to a horizontal ra-Ine, andare held in place by removable stakes 8 which project from sockets 8 on theframe. A platform or floor :9 is secured on top oi their-ame, and'forms thel bottom oit' thebody or box. Thefrarne 7 is pret'- erably'formed'of metal bars and plates suitably secured together. Two girder-s 10, channel-shaped in cross-section are secured crosswise of the frame at its front end'portion, and 12 is the frontaxle which is arch shaped in form. The axle 12 has alug 14C at its middle part which is arranged between the girders 10, and pivoted to them by a horizontal pin 15.

The front ground wheels 16 are mounted on' stub axlesl'? which are pivoted to the axle 12 by vertical pins'18. Each stub axle hasta forwardly projecting steering arm 19,

part of the axle l2 has a curved slot 25 arranged concentric with its pivot pin 15 and in line with the opening 22 ot' the coupling bar.

A bracket 2G is secured at the front end of the frame, and it has a horizontal slot 27 arranged in front of the opening in the coupling bar. The draw bar 28 is arranged in the slot 25, opening 22 and slot 2T. The rear end portion of the draw bar is pivoted to an anchor bar 30 Aby a vertical pin 30', and its middle portion is arranged to engage sidewise with the opening22 oittheA coupling bar. The front end portion of the draw bar is slidable laterally in the slot 2T of the bracket, and the curved slot 25 of the axle is slidable over the draw bar and also permits the slight lateral movement of the rear part of the draw bar.

The rear end ot' the anchor bar 30 is secured to a crossbar 31 secured tothe traine and provided with an upwardly and i'orwardly inclined iange or anchor member 32. A forked radius rod 33 has its front ends secured to the end portions of the axle, andit is provided with `a pivot 34C at its rear and middle part which is mounted to rock in a hole in the part 32. The middle' part 32 of the flange 32 is arranged to projectvvertically, andthe pivot 34 of the radius rod is mounted to rock in this vertical partl 32', and is arrangedin line with the pivot pin 15 of the axle. This radius rod `extends forwardly and downwardly from the crossbar 31 and relieves the strains on the end portions of the axle, and permits it to rock in a vertical plane crosswisc ot' the truck.

The front end portion of the anchorbar is rigidly secured to the frame 7 by braces 35. A draft link 36 is pivoted by a horizontal pin 37 to the front end portion of the draw bar, and has an eye 3S at its front end for connecting it to the tractor or hai vesting machine which draws the truck along.

The rear end portion of the frame is provided with brackets flO in which a rear axle l1 is secured. Rocking frames 42 are mounted at their middle parts on the end portions of the rear axle, and wheels 43 are journaled on pins la in the end portions ot' each of the frames 112. An endless band 45, formed of plates jointed together, is arranged around each pair of wheels 113, and rests on the ground like the traction band center of gravity of the truck.

are loaded into the truck, and may be disof a caterpillar tractor. The endless bands and the `front ground wheels are made with extensive bearing surfaces so that they will support the truck on soft and moist ground, and permit it to be drawn along freely.

The rear axle forms a pivot for the truck, and it is arranged a little to the rear of the The canes charged by hand or by a crane, or the end side of the body or box may be removed and the whole truck may be tilted upon its rear axle so as to dump the load. A draft connection 48 is secured to the rear of the truck, so that the draft link of another similar truck can be connected to it, if desired.

The truck follows the tractor or harvester around curves because the draft bar steers it by turning the stub axles of the front groundl ywheels on'their pivots in appropriate directions.

The' pivotal connection of the front axle with the frame permits each front ground wheel to move vertically; and the pivoted connection of ythe frames 42 with the rear axle permits each wheel f3 and the end portions of the endless bands 45 to move vertically. This arrangement permits the truck to be drawn over rough and uneven gro-und with facility and smoothness, and'renders .it specially well adapted to transport sugar canes. The Vendless bands 45 of articulated or jointed members may be left off, and the rear wheels may bear directly on the ground. if desired, but it is advantageous to use the endless bands on account of the increased bearing vsurface furnished by them.

The floor or bottom 9 of the box 6 rests on wooden joists `50, which are secured to the metal frame 7, andthe joists and floor project laterally over the ground wheels. Gasset plates 5l are provided to secure the joists to the metal frame and to strengthen them.

What I claim is:

1. In a truck, a frame, a front axle pivoted by a horizontal pivot to the frame and provided with a slo-t, stub axles pivoted to the front axle and provided with steering arms, front wheels mounted -on the stub axles, `a coupling bar secured between the steering arms, and a `draw bar having its rear end pivotally connected with the vsaid fname by a vertical pivot andprojecting through the slot in the front axle and operatively connected with the coupling` bar so as to steer the front wheels.

2. In a truck, a frame, a front axle pivoted'by la horizontal pivot to the frame and provided with a slot, stub axles provided with forwardly projecting steering arms and pivoted to the front axle, front wheels mounted on the stub axles, acoupling bar secured between the steering arms and having ali-opening in its middle part, a draw bar having its rear end pivotally connected with the said frame by a vertical pivot and projecting through the slot in the front axle and engaging with the opening in the coupling bar so as to steer the front wheels, andmeans for supporting the front end of the draw bar from the frame and permitting it to rock horizontally.

3. In a truck, a frame, an arch-shaped said frame by a vertical pivot, and means" for connecting the drawbar with the stub axles so as to steer the front wheels.

l,.- In a truclg'a frame, a front axle pivoted by a horizontal pivot to the frame, a crossbar secured to the frame to! the rear of the front axle and having a projecting anchor member, a forked radius rod having its vmiddle and rear part pivoted to the anchor member and its front ends secured to the end portions of the front axle, an anchor bar having its rear end securedto the said crossbar, a brace secured between the front end portion of the anchor bar and the said frame, stub axles pivoted to the front axle, front wheels mounted on the stub axles, a draw bar pivoted by a vertical pivot to the said anchor bar, and means for connecting the draw bar with the stub axles so. as to steer the front wheels.

5. In a truck, a frame, a front axle pivoted by :a horizontall pivot to the frame, front ground wheels supporting the front axle, rocking frames having their middle parts pivotally connected with the frame and arranged longitudinally .of it and one at each side thereof, and a pair` of ground wheels mounted at the end portions of each rocking frame.A

6. A truck as set forth in claim-5, and having also an endless-bandof jointed members extending over and around each pairu of rear ground wheels to increase the surface in contact withthe ground.

7. In a truck, a frame, a front axle pivoted by a horizontal pivot to the frame, ground wheels supporting the front axle, a rear axle secured to the frame, 'rocking frames pivoted betwen their ends on the end portions of the rear axle, and a pair of 'rear ground wheels mounted at the end portions of' each .rocking frame.

8.In a truck, a frame, rocking frames pivotally connectedwith the frame between their ends and arranged longitudinally of it and one at each side thereof, and a pair of ground Wheels mounted at the end portions of each rocking frame.

9. In a truck, a frame, an arch-shaped front axle having its middle and upper part pivoted to the frame by a horizontal pivot and provided at its ends with pivoted stub axles and ground Wheels mounted thereon, a drawbar arranged above the level of the stub axles and having its rear end connected with the frame by a vertical pivot, and coupling devices Which connect the drawbarwith the stub axles so as to steer the ground wheels by means of the drawbar.

10. In a truck, a frame, a front axle pivoted at its middle part to the frame by a horizontal pivot and provided at its ends with pivoted stub axles and ground Wheels mounted thereon, a drawbar having its rear end connected to the frame by a vertical pivot, and coupling` devices which connect the drawbar with the stub axles so as to steer the ground wheels by means of the drawbar.

In testimony' whereof I have affixed my 25 signature.

HENRY O. SGRANTGN. 

